London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 23, 2025

Disgruntled leaders reject VIP buses for queen’s funeral and demand the Biden treatment

Disgruntled leaders reject VIP buses for queen’s funeral and demand the Biden treatment

Britain faces backlash over ‘two tier’ travel arrangements to Westminster Abbey for foreign heads of state.

Britain is facing a diplomatic backlash over VIP travel arrangements for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, with multiple world leaders now requesting special permission to skip the proposed ‘park and ride’ scheme and arrive in their official vehicles.

Countries of varying sizes are pushing back against a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) requirement that most foreign heads of state attending the funeral on Monday park their vehicles at a site in west London, and travel to the event at Westminster Abbey on shared coaches provided by the U.K. government.

Diplomats from five countries, including some within the G7 group of most industrialized nations, told POLITICO they want exceptions for their leaders, citing old age or security reasons.

They have been emboldened by remarks from the prime minister’s official spokesman Monday, who told reporters that in some cases the ‘no car’ edict would in fact be “guidance” only, and that “arrangements for leaders, including how they travel, will vary depending on individual circumstances.”

The travel protocol, sent to overseas embassies at the weekend and obtained by POLITICO, would not apply to leaders such as U.S. President Joe Biden, a U.K. government source later confirmed to the Times. Biden is expected to arrive at the funeral in his armored limousine, often referred to as ‘The Beast.’ Other leaders with specific security requirements, such as President Isaac Herzog of Israel, could also be allowed to bring their own transport, the same U.K. source said.

But overseas diplomats based in London are unimpressed with the two-tier system, and are now clamoring to ensure their own heads of state get the same treatment as Biden and avoid what — for some — is the perceived indignity of arriving on a bus with ‘lesser’ nations.

“I am trying to have ours exempted from the bus,” one U.K.-based ambassador admitted, “but not having much luck so far.”

Diplomats say the FCDO has not explained the criteria by which certain leaders will be allowed to skip the shared bus journey from London’s West End. Envoys are approaching the department directly to request exceptions, but few, if any, have received a formal response.

“Our president is happy to go by bus if told so, but he’s over 80, so if there’s a way to avoid it, we will try,” another senior diplomat said.

“Considerable anxiety” also exists among leaders about the possible identity of their fellow passengers upon the shared VIP coaches, a third diplomat warned. The FCDO held a briefing Tuesday with representatives from all countries planning to send leaders to the funeral, but was unable to explain how the coach seating plans will be decided.

Another ambassador said the FCDO briefing was welcome but had raised “more questions than answers,” adding: “FCDO told us not to have many expectations, not to be too ambitious, and expect different problems. The logistical challenge is huge … They’re trying to convince us to take the buses, saying it’s much easier to manage everything.”

Some foreign diplomats are at least familiar with shared coach arrangements from previous mass events organized by the U.K., including the U.N. COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last year, and the queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at St Paul’s Cathedral.

But a third ambassador, representing a European country whose leader does not object to taking the bus, said some heads of state not used to shared coach travel will see the plan as a challenge to their “masculinity” — and that persuading them to accept the FCDO’s arrangements will be no easy task.

“If you don’t know your head of state well, or whether they’d accept these things, it can be very difficult for the ambassadors,” the envoy said. “And it’s very difficult for the FCDO — because where do you draw the line?”

Comments

Sid 3 year ago
Might be good if Israel and some Arab states just shared a Uber

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×